Exhibit-frame for lace draperies.



No; 732,158. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

' G. I. BIGKNELL. I I

EXHIBIT FRAME FOR LACE DRAPERIBS.

uruonlon Flt-HD0019. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNiTnn STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

GEORGE J. BIOKNELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXHIBIT-FRAME FOR LACE DRAPERIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,158, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed October 9, 1902. Serial No. 1%,194. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. BICKNELL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhibit-Frames for Lace Draperies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable frames or supports adapted particularly for use in exhibiting window draperies;

The object of the invention is to provide a plurality of frames hingedly connected in a manner so that they may be folded up against each other for compact storage and so that they may be opened out to certain limits for exhibition, means being provided for preventing the sections from being opened to a uniform vertical plane or in alinement with each other, which might result in the entire frame falling down.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a simple and durable frame of this type which may be readily moved about the floor of an exhibition room or store while the sections are opened out, the frames being provided with means for supporting an ordinary spring-roller curtain, as well as supports for lace draperies or other hangings.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a frame embodying several sections hingedly connected and provided with casters. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged plan view of the hinge which I preferably employ, the two leaves of the hinge occupying the positions which they will assume when the sections of the frame are folded. Fig. 3 represents a similar view, partly broken away, the parts being in the position which they will occupy when the sections of the frame are opened out to their full extent. Fig. 4: represents a detail section on line f 4 of Fig. 3.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The sections a are each preferably constructed of four pieces of suitable material, such as wood, and constituting a rectangular bottom edges of the sections.

frame substantially similar to the casing of a window. Each section is mounted upon casters 1) and is provided at its upper end with brackets to support a pole 0, adapted to support lace or other draperies in any ordinary or preferred manner. Each section is preferably provided with a spring-roller curtain d, which may be manipulated as desired to give the effect of the lace draperies 6 either with'or without a shade d behind such drapery.

Adjoining sections of the entire frame are connected by hinges comprising two substantially similar leaves f, secured to the top and These leaves consist of substantially L-shaped plates having their outer ends pivoted together at g. One of the leaves f carries a pin h, which extends into a groove or slot i of the other leaf, the ends of the grooves or slots forming stops which limit the movement of the pin h, and therefore limit the extent to which the leaves of the hinge may be folded or opened. By comparing Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seenthat the pin-and-groove construction is such that two sections which are connected by these hinges when folded are held in parallel but separated positions, and when opened to their full extent must stand at an obtuse angle to each other and not in the same vertical plane. Therefore when a frame is made up of a nu1nber of sections, as four-or more, connected by these hinges to fold in alternate directions, and when all of the sections are opened to their full extent the frame as a whole, if viewed vertically, would present a zigzag appearance. This is clearly represented in Fig. 1, in which two intermediate sections of the frame are shown as opened to their full extent and two more are folded around behind the frontsections.

To prevent any possibility of contact between two sections or the curtains or draperies carried thereby when said sections are folded toward each other, I employ suitable spacing devices, such as ordinary door-buffers, (shown at it.) These are not absolutely necessary, however, as the hinges are, as above described, so constructed as to limit the folding movement. I prefer to employ them, however, on account of the flexibility which the sections necessarily possess when made light enough for convenient portability.

It will be seen that I have provided means whereby, although the sections unfold in opposite directions, they cannot be swung into alinement with each other. Therefore the frame while opened to full extent may be moved about the store, if desired, and yet cannot fall over.

I claim- 1. A device of the character specified, comprising a plurality of sections having means for supporting drapery, said sections being hingedly connected to fold in alternate opposite directions, the hinges being constructed to hold the sections in parallel but separated positions when folded, means being provided to prevent the sections from being swung into GEORGE J. BICKNELL.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. KENNEDY, S, M. BRAOKETT. 

